where a reporter/mom from Brooklyn chronicles ex-pat life in Japan since moving there in December 2007 with her husband and two boys...

Thursday, April 16, 2009

weekend away

The zoo next to the Himeji Castle was a great way to kill an afternoon -- after you've toured the castle, hanami'ed in full view of the castle, then said goodbye to your friends who caught an earlier train out of town -- but, man! The animals at this zoo are kept in some seriously small quarters. Makes the Ueno zoo in Tokyo look modern.

Check out the polar bears:

And here's the elephant:

Flamingoes

On a more positive note, the zoo is also an amusement park for kids. And the place was deserted last Friday when we were there, so it all worked out. For us, I mean. Not the polar bears.Last stop: the sad little penguin exhibit.A heron stopped in for a drink before taking off again.They say the Himeji Castle, a.k.a. Shirasagi-jo, looks like a big white heron in flight. What do you think?

1 comment:

I have been to Himeji zoo twice. Once by accident on my first trip out there and once to show my sister just how bad it really is after talking about it for so long. Coming from Australia where zoos have large enclosures and the animals have wait for it...NATURE in their enclosures it was such a shock. I really feel for those polar bears, all they seemed to do was pace around showing signs of distress. I think another problem is how cheap it is to get in Y200 or about $2. Australian zoos cost a whole lot more ($23.60 I just googled it) I would rather pay more and have the animals better looked after.

Anyway how gorgeous is Himeji Jo? I have only seen in in winter but wow with the Sakura it looks spectacular.